Metamorphosis in Motion by Lina Ghotmeh in Milan – Photos by Natalie Krag, unless stated.

Architecture, Design. Mosca Partners Variations welcomes visitors to Palazzo Litta with Methamorphosis in Motion, a bold pink labyrinth conceived by Paris-based, Lebanese-born architect Lina Ghotmeh — and, rather fittingly, her first site-specific installation in Italy.

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Framed by a stunning Baroque courtyard, colour does a lot of the heavy lifting. Ghotmeh reached for pink not as a provocation, but as a gesture of care — its associations with empathy, tenderness, and contemporary boldness making it an quietly confident choice. Curved geometries and rising volumes shift throughout the day, animated by natural light in a way that keeps the piece feeling alive from morning to dusk.

“The installation is a playful labyrinth that activates the courtyard without altering its structure, introducing a contemporary layer that offers visitors a silent pause within the intensity of the Design Week experience,” the architect explains.”

At its core, Methamorphosis in Motion channels Ghotmeh’s guiding philosophy — what she calls the Archaeology of the Future — weaving together memory, landscape, and space into something quietly monumental. “We reflected on the courtyard’s role as both passage and representation — an intermediate realm designed to guide movement and intensify experience.” It’s a reading of Palazzo Litta’s courtyard that feels both scholarly and deeply human.

The result is an installation that slows you down. Methamorphosis in Motion encourages moments of encounter, pause, and surprise — nudging the space from threshold to commons. “It emerges through use. The courtyard evolves from threshold to commons, from representation to participation, transforming space, memory, and experience into a single, dynamic architectural narrative.”

Photo by Takumi Ota.

After Milan Design Week, Methamorphosis in Motion will find a second life — its structure thoughtfully designed for reuse, ensuring the conversation it started continues well beyond the courtyard.

Photo by Takumi Ota.

Photography is by Natalie Krag and Takumi Ota, courtesy of Mosca Partner Variations.